Brazil’s PDT Party Backs Lula for 2nd Round of Elections

Brazilian politician, Ciro Gomes of the Democratic Labor Party, expressed his support for former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The second round of elections in the South American country is scheduled for October 30, when leftist Lula will face right-wing Jair Bolsonaro. Neither of the two reached 50 percent of the valid votes plus one in last Sunday's first round.

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With 3.5 million votes (3 percent of votes counted), center-left Ciro Gomes came in fourth place, behind center-right Senator Simone Tebet, who obtained 4.9 million votes (4 percent) in the first round of the Brazilian elections. 

In a video released on Gomes' social networks, he said, "I follow the decision of my party, the Democratic Labor Party; given the circumstances, it is the only way out." 

The politician also said that he does not want and will not accept any position in a possible future government, noting he was never and never will be absent from the fight for Brazil.

Ciro Gomez is from the center-left; he came in 4th place in the Brazilian elections, with 3.6 million votes. Declared his support in the second round for Lula. The center-left does not support or join the extreme right, as the "center-left" did in Chile during the referendum.

A part of Gomez's party and his electorate was not pleased as the politician's campaign focused on criticism of both Workers' Party (PT) leader Lula and Liberal Party (PL) leader Bolsonaro: rivals in the October 30 runoff.

This Tuesday, the country's Superior Electoral Court (TSE) officially confirmed Lula's victory on Sunday, reaching 48.43 percent of the valid votes. Bolsonaro, on the other hand, gained 43.20 percent.  

According to Correio Braziliense, the former president's immediate task is to gather as much support as possible from the other alliances and their parties.